Nov 9, 2012

Karma is a b*** only if you are. I found this quote when I was searching for an image that corresponds with the theme of this post. I had to laugh when I read it because it was such a poignant statement. It really sums up what I think is the irrational fear of some white people as evidenced by leaders of the GOP.

All of the post-election chatter, specifically the reasons for the Romney-Ryan loss, centers around demographics and the GOP's lack of appeal to non-white men. I listen to some of this chatter and think to myself, "well DUH..." I mean really. The writing was on the wall. With all of the constant statistics reporting about the changing demographics, they had to know better. They clearly knew better; they just let their irrational fear misguide them. Instead of figuring out how to appeal to the changing electorate, they put all of their effort into pushing away the changing demographic. They put all of their effort into self-preservation tactics thinking that somehow they would be able to produce the outcome that they wanted. Why spend hundreds of millions of dollars trying to unseat the President? Why try to enact unjust laws to keep people from voting? Why not speak out against the hate and vitriol? Why is leveling the playing field such an unacceptable idea? Seems like acts of desperation to me; seems like an inability to cope with the changing face of the country; seems like the fear is if the "new majority" gets some power the tables will be turned; seems like the irrational fear is what was done by them will now be done to them. Oddly enough it all makes sense when looking at this from the perspective of sowing and reaping. However, I consider it an irrational fear because with the exception of a handful of extremists, non-white men are not interested in sticking it to them. We do not have the political power, the financial means, or the actual desire to do so. Yet they are so egocentric and stuck on what they seemingly stand to lose by a fair and equitable system that they can't think straight.

I really do not know if the 2012 election results is the wake up call the GOP needs to diversify their party and truly be inclusive. I am not so hopeful though because all of this could have been avoided. The face of America did not change overnight. This wasn't some phenomenon that occurred out of the blue. They thought they could cheat the election and that the electorate would be so desperate due to a weaker economy that we wouldn't care if their reactionary policies were enacted as long as they PROMISED (not necessarily delivered) a better economy. They thought we wouldn't care if we were disrespected as long as we had a job. They thought we wouldn't care about workers' rights as long as we had a steady paycheck. They thought we wouldn't care about reproductive rights and equal pay as long as we returned to full employment. They thought we would forget about equal access as long as they acknowledged the high unemployment of the African American community and promised change. They thought we would forget about climate change if gas prices somehow fell. They thought we were only concerned about the short-term. Don't get me wrong...those that are unemployed or underemployed are very much concerned about not just the short-term, but the here and now. I totally empathize with them. My financial struggles are not over and like the rest of us, I want both parties to understand our plight and set policy to ease that plight. Will they, specifically the GOP, genuinely seek to include the concerns of non-white men into their platform? Is their questionable posterity enough motivation for them to do so? Or will their irrational fear get the best of them? Personally, I am so disgusted with how they behaved since the 2008 election that I am not the least bit concerned about their posterity. I have no sympathy or empathy for them whatsoever. To some that may sound harsh, but it is just the reality of the situation for me. Yet with my lack of concern, I am open to genuine efforts of inclusion. If they are successful, then it is good for the nation. If they do not, then it will likely be the demise of the GOP. Should the GOP disintegrate, there would be no one to blame but themselves and their insistence on giving into this irrational fear.